lake

1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈlāk 

often attributive

: a considerable inland body of standing water

also : a pool of other liquid (such as lava, oil, or pitch)

lakelike

ˈlāk-ˌlīk 

adjective

lake

2 of 3

noun (2)

1

a

: a purplish red pigment prepared from lac or cochineal

b

: any of numerous usually bright translucent organic pigments composed essentially of a soluble dye absorbed on or combined with an inorganic carrier

2

: carmine sense 2

laky

ˈlā-kē 

adjective

lake

3 of 3

verb

laked; laking

transitive verb

: to cause (blood) to undergo a physiological change in which the hemoglobin becomes dissolved in the plasma

intransitive verb

of blood : to undergo the process by which hemoglobin becomes dissolved in the plasma

Examples of lake in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Not only does the region have 120 blue lakes and some 14,000 islands, but its shoreline is a little over 9,000 miles long. — Susmita Baral, Travel + Leisure, 16 July 2026

An afternoon at Barton Springs will feel just like childhood summers spent at the neighborhood pool or camp lake with locals swimming laps, kids cannonballing off the diving board, and lifeguards with their watchful eye. — Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 16 July 2026

That’s expected to add around another foot to the lake, with all deals across the three states projected to eventually boost it by about 10 feet, Hasencamp said. — Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 16 July 2026

Room service is spectacular—impeccably delivered and artfully plated, best enjoyed from your private terrace overlooking the lake. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English, Anglo-French, & Latin; Old English lacu stream, pool, from Latin lacus lake, pool, pit & Anglo-French lac pit, from Latin lacus; akin to Old English lagu sea, Greek lakkos pond

Noun (2)

French laque lac, from Old Occitan laca, from Arabic lakk — more at lacquer

First Known Use

Noun (1)

12th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

circa 1616, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1898, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Phrases Containing lake

• (go) jump in a/the lake
• lake dwelling
• lake effect
• lake herring
• lake trout
• salt lake

Rhymes for lake

• ache
• ake
• bake
• brake
• break
• cake
• craik
• crake
• fake
• flake
• hake
• jake

Kids Definition

lake

noun

ˈlāk

: a large inland body of standing water

also : a pool of liquid (as oil or pitch)

Medical Definition

lake

verb

ˈlāk 

laked; laking

transitive verb

: to cause (blood) to undergo a physiological change in which the hemoglobin becomes dissolved in the plasma

intransitive verb

of blood : to undergo the process by which hemoglobin becomes dissolved in the plasma